


Moving Forward

by swanqueengranger



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-28 09:10:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13900845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swanqueengranger/pseuds/swanqueengranger
Summary: After the war, the galaxy struggles to move forward, Liara struggles to handle it all, and Shepard once again must make a choice.





	Moving Forward

**Author's Note:**

> This was a little scene that just kept playing in my mind. I may not have done it justice, but I had to bring this moment to life. These two. Be still my heart.
> 
> As always, I do not own these characters and I’m not making money off of this. They belong to Bioware and EA. I’m just borrowing them for a little while.

Her brow furrowed as she swiped at the screen; data scrolling faster as she rolled the information she had just read around her mind.

Rebuilding efforts, shortages of supplies, orphan numbers, looters in every region she learned of. There were relays to rebuild, communications to reestablish, profiteering to thwart.

They had won the war, but at what cost? When would the galaxy even begin to resemble what was there before?

A deep sigh tugged at her lips and Liara stabbed the screen away, already bringing another filled with the same depressive news up to take its place.  It was an endless stream of devastating information…but a small part of her recognized the hope it brought, too.  They were still alive to face this; to rebuild. She just needed to remember to remind herself of that every time she attempted to determine where to direct what little resources she could find. The decision of where they could do the most good always left her feeling guilty and more determined.

The devastation covered Earth like it covered every other planet. When the Normandy had made it back, Liara had torn off of the ship focused only on making it to Shepard. She had remained by her unconscious form, unwilling to leave her side after being forced from it previously.  She had spent untold hours in the silence of her hospital room, sleep deprived and manic, desperately trying to do everything she could for the billions still alive even though she could clearly see that it wasn't enough. 

Through it all, Shepard's heart had steadily kept beating beside her; an anchor for the moments she merely sat in silence. 

When Shepard had finally awoken, there were tears and declarations of love to accompany the guilt. Shepard had wanted to immediately be back in action and prompted the doctors to find Miranda Lawson so it could happen. Liara didn't have the heart to mention that she had yet to reestablish contact with the woman. Instead, she demanded they both remain grounded on Earth until Shepard had a chance to heal.

She had resisted as Liara knew she would, but her survival had bordered on a miracle for which even Javik’s previous brutal revelations couldn’t stop Liara’s thankful prayers. She had remained firm and Shepard had finally acquiesced on the sole condition that she be allowed to contribute to their recovery efforts the very _second_ she could. Liara had agreed and then spent months watching her love battle through physical therapy, surgeries, and severe bouts of PTSD. There were nights she waded through her lover's scattered thoughts and days spent wading through the emotional aftermath of memories that cut as deeply as the physical reminders of battle. There were memorials for the fallen, moments of laughter and lovemaking broken by dark bouts of anger and survivor’s guilt. Yet through it all, somehow Shepard kept moving forward. 

She was healing but Liara knew that the progress wasn't as fast as she wanted. She would remind her in those moments that she was  _alive_ and that was more than enough. But Shepard had to believe that, too. 

When Shepard had stopped arguing when it was time to see her therapist, Liara knew something had changed. The dark moments of anger and confusion were becoming less frequent and when she woke up alone in their bed, she would sneak down the hall to catch Shepard not nursing a glass of whiskey but silently practicing meditative techniques instead. Liara did not know where she had learned them, but the approximation of Samara's pose had been enough of a give away. She did not question, but instead accepted the changes her lover was clearly fighting to make with her own renewed sense of strength. 

_They were alive to rebuild._

The locking mechanism on the front door sounded behind her and Liara spared a tense glance towards it.

“It’s just me.”

Shepard’s voice eased the spike of anxiety in her chest; another product of the war she was uncertain she would lose anytime soon.  

She heard the door close quickly before her eyes once again darted to the scrolling stream of information.  Salarian scientists in the Annos Basin were experiencing roaming looters while they attempted to work out how to repair the mass relay, Turian forces were overran with search and rescue on the war torn Palavan, and the Krogan were holed up on Tuchanka – silent and a cause for concern if reports from Palaven were anything to go by.

“Hey, could you give me a hand with this for a second?”

She was already rising before the words had completely left Shepard’s mouth, data discarded by her side, but Shepard halted her further advance with an outstretched box. She took it without thought even as her eyes roamed over the woman before her.

Shepard has leaning heavily on a cane, her left leg encased in a mobile stabilizing unit that was working day and night to rebuild the incinerated tissue. Branching scars lingered on her face from the blast that had torn through her left side, but they were healing. Usually, when Shepard had to be up and around (as she insisted on all but the bad days), she was grumbling by noon at how her movement was impeded. Today, an easy smile graced her lips.

Before Liara could inquire as to the contents of the package, Shepard leaned down, tucked her good hand softly against her cheek and brought their lips together.  Liara felt her shoulders ease the slightest bit at the action; suddenly aware of tension she had not realized she was carrying. When Shepard pulled back, her gaze was soft.

She remained bent slightly over, eyes hovering level with Liara’s own.

“Hi.”

A smile blossomed freely across her own lips at the whisper.

“Hi yourself. You seem to be in a good mood. Did something happen?”

Shepard straightened slowly, gratitude in her eyes. “We’re both alive and together. What more reason do I need, right?” She stiffly shifted the box back under her good arm as she turned. “Thanks, by the way.”

Liara watched her begin the slow shuffle towards the kitchen and rose to meet her curiously. “Did you need my help with that?”

Shepard tossed a smile over her shoulder as she continued moving forward. “Nope. I just wanted a kiss.”

She felt her own small smile tug at the corners of her mouth unconsciously as Shepard rounded the doorframe and disappeared. For a moment she merely stared at the open door before she turned to snatch up the discarded datapad.

With a few determined movements, Krogan troops were being urged to Palaven while Turian engineers were on their way to Sur’Kesh. Maybe she wasn’t the only one who needed to be reminded.

_We are alive to rebuild._

When her ears caught the sound of a soft tune she couldn’t quite recall, her eyes slowly rose to the door her bondmate had just disappeared through.

Shepard was _humming_.

A soft sob of happiness pushed its way from her lips before she could stop it. Liara’s eyes slipped closed slowly; a silent prayer of thanks offered once more to whomever was listening. Fingers tightened around the datapad in her hands unconsciously and she released a shaky laugh. When her blue eyes drifted to its surface, the sounds of pans rattling joined the hum of Shepard’s voice.

She darkened the screen with a flick of her wrist and was two steps towards the kitchen before it even hit the couch. 

They were alive and that was more than enough.


End file.
